The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-10-03


little In Its appearance to justify its
claim TO be city. II Is great big
village with largely uncertain popu.
lation-honest, hard working and self
but undecided as to per.
Of location. Admirably sit
uated for drainage, 1t has but one
water way, a small crsekf TO conduct
what sewerage has been provided
to the Oshabs river, some twenty-five
miles away. It's water, supplied from
Village creek, is very bad aad is strong
ly impregnsted with lime, and Is, there.
fore, dangerous to the health OF the |
people. OF payemsuts, either Of side.
walk or roadway, 1t has but little |
worth mentioning, and there are
but two good school buildings. These
are, however, said to be presently
sufficient. The municipal progress Of
Birmingham, 1t will thus be seen, is
yst 10 come. This, when II does come,
ought to be q factor in Civ.
ing an impetus to another boom. But
1t, too, has been anticipated; 90, out oil
oil reckoning, are the prices Of lots
and Of rental values. II will be a sc.
we're tax, but II must be borne II the
health and lives Of tie people are to
be protected. In addition to these
municipal drawbacks there is the
other Of anything like adequate
preparation for an industrial popu.
lation-thsrs being nothing even like
encouraging first beginnings to that
end. As has been eaid, the Eyton
Land Company has made admirable
and very attractive provision on the
east side for an elite population hav.
ing cultivation, taste and money, but
there Is nothing for the workingman
save Of the rudeet and crudest sort
nothing even as inviting ss the houses
furnished for its section bosses by the
Kansas City, Memphis and Birmipg.
ham Railroad Company. The negro
seems to te the measure Of provision
In this direction. Birmingham is yet
In the rough. Even with the furnace
men all 10 not plain sailing. Notwith.
standing their advantages, they have
their difficulties. Orc OF these 10 In
finding IN adequate supply Of cokipg
coal. The best Of this Ia only to be
found at the Pratt mine. Some inter
ested parties claim that II furnishes
the only coking coal In Alabama. How
this may be will be made apparent be.
fore another year rolls by. But the
fact remains that jest now coking coal
is scarce. Another difficulty 10 the
finding Of q market for the products
Of the furnaces. They are 400 miles
from market, and their pig metal To
reach Il must pass through Tennessee
or Virginia or Missouri, where there
are competing furnaces steadily In
cressing their outputs, and by from
100 10 200 niles nearer the CENTER
where iron 10 consumed. The minera
resources Of these States have only
been tapped. Their riches are no
fully known, but practical men are de
velopiDg them steadily, and with %
surances Of results very encouraging
Critically and scru,inislngly exam
iped, this 10 the condition Of the cit,
Of Birmingham and the Birmingham
district. II remains TO be said. how
ever. that with all these defects, de
nciences aud drawbacks, and puttinI
away the exaggeration and misrepre
sentatlon BY which Birmingham an,
the district are more injured than ben
Gifted, thsre 10 In the coal and irol
that environ II vast wealth, q BAN
that will, for centuries TO come, homo
every draft made upon II by industr.
aud energy, the basis Of iabulou
wealth, the development OF which ca
! scarcely be restrained by the specull
lions In shefii old, ID catur or Flol
snce. Every day brings experience I
the intelligent, enterprising and prat
ticsl men who have aud are 90 cred
itably directing the great enterprise
Of the Birmingham district. Wit
] them there Is no sham. They do nc
deceive themselves nor misrepreseu
their advantages, nor are they respor
sible for the booms In real estate tbs
. detsr manufacturers from settling 1
Birmingham 10 help consume the on
, put Of the furnaces. They are sens
bic as 10 their disadvantages, as we
, % advantages, and speak ~ freely {
I. the one as oi the other. They want
, sure market for their iron at their ow
doors, and are anxious for the eslat
lishment Of rolling mills, boiler, mai
7 tack and other manufactures 10 us
. up the iron they make. With thee
. will come the skilled white mechanics
who will need cheap but comiortab'
. homes, and take up lots and build 10
! themselves according 10 their meant
! The Birmingham district h. . gres
. future. There arslmany colossal fort
J unes yet 10 be dug on. Of the bowel
Of Red mountain and from the adj
! cent coal measures that centuries can
, not exhaust.